CELEBRATING NATIONAL PIE DAY WITH LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Today is National Pie Day! So happy to celebrate with an old-fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie. The recipe is from Farm Journal's Complete Pie Cookbook. I hope everyone partakes and eats a slice of their favorite pie today. Pie is life; nothing sweeter. 

Best-Ever Lemon Meringue Pie

Baked 9" pie shell (see recipe below)

1.5 cups sugar

1.5 cups water

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup water

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1/2 cup lemon juice

3 tbsp butter

1 tsp grated lemon peel

4 egg whites

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1. Combine sugar, 1.5 cups water and salt in saucepan; heat to boiling.
2. Mix cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to make smooth paste; add to boiling mixture gradually, stirring constantly; cook until thick and clear. Remove from heat. 
3. Combine egg yolks and lemon juice; stir into thickened mixture. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles again. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and lemon peel. Cover and cool until lukewarm. 
4. For meringue, add salt to egg whites; beat until frothy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until glossy peaks are formed. Stir 2 rounded tbsp of meringue into lukewarm filling. 
5. Pour filling into cool pie shell. Pile remaining meringue on top and spread lightly over filling, spreading evenly to edge of crust. 
6. Bake in slow oven at 350º F about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on rack at least 1 hour before cutting. 

Flaky Pastry for 1-Crust Pie

1 cup sifted flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp vegetable shortening or 1/3 cup lard

2 to 2.5 tbsp cold water

1. Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is the consistency of coarse cornmeal or tiny peas. 
2. Sprinkle in cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, tossing mixture lightly and stirring with fork. Add water each time to the driest part of the mixture. The dough should be just moist enough to hold together when pressed gently with a fork. It should not be sticky. 
3. Shape dough in smooth ball with hands, and roll. 
4. On lightly floured surface roll Pastry for 1-Crust pie. Roll it lightly from center out in all direction to 1/8" thickness, making a 10" circle. Fold rolled dough in half and ease it loosely into pie pan, with fold in center. Gently press out air pockets with finger tips and make certain there are no openings for juices to escape. 
5. Fold under edge of crust and press into an upright arm. Crimp edge as desired.
6. Baked: Prick entire surface evenly and closely with a 4-tined fork. Refrigerate 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450º F. Bake pie shell in very hot oven from 10 to 15 minutes, or until browned the way you like. Cool before filling.